Let me guess: you needed to start working yesterday, but you don’t want to take a dead-end job leading nowhere just to get a few bucks in your pocket. You want to find a career that you can start quickly, but that will offer you chances to grow, advance and increase that weekly paycheck.

You came to the right place, my friend. I’ve got just the thing for you: 3 rewarding career paths that you can start quickly and grow in while you work.

Dental Career path

Start here: Dental Assistant
With strong growth predicted for the entire dental industry, becoming a dental assistant is a great way to get your foot in the door. Get started by completing a dental assistant program, which is usually offered by community and junior colleges, trade schools, and technical institutes. While these programs typically take one year, you can also elect to enroll in a two-year associate’s degree program offered by community and junior colleges. Either way, you’ll be prepping patients and assisting dentists in no time.

End up here: Dental Hygienist
While you’re working as a dental assistant and getting valuable experience under your belt, you can study to become a dental hygienist. Hygienists are those professionals who spend their afternoons polishing our teeth and making our smiles beautiful. To become a dental hygienist, you need an associate degree or certificate in dental hygiene from an accredited dental hygienist program. Once you’ve got that diploma in hand, you’ll also need to take a licensing exam for the state in which you plan to work.

Estimated Earning Potential: In May 2008, the median annual wage for dental assistants was $32,280, while the median annual wage for their dental hygienist colleagues in the same month was $66,570, or more than double. Makes that dental hygienist certification sound like a good investment, doesn’t it?

Added Bonus: According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than one third of all dental assistants work part-time, which leaves you plenty of time to go to school, care for your family, or pursue another job. In addition, both dental assistants and dental hygienists experience a high degree of flexibility in their careers, with the option to work nights and weekends if that fits into your schedule better.

Accountant Career Path

Start here: Bookkeeper
If you’ve got a high school diploma and a passion for numbers, you can start a career as a bookkeeper. Bookkeepers update and maintain financial records for virtually every industry out there. In addition, they may also handle payroll, make purchases, prepare invoices, and keep track of overdue accounts. One thing to note: an Associate’s degree in accounting or business is slowly becoming more desirable for these positions, which can typically be earned in two years.

End up here: Accountant
Bookkeepers who work towards a Bachelor’s in accounting can become accountants when they graduate. Accountants work with companies and organizations to make sure that their taxes are paid on time, their records are kept accurately, and their finances are in order.

Estimated Earning Potential: In May 2008, Bookkeepers made a median annual salary of $32,150. In the same month, accountants took home a median wage of $59,430 for the year.

Added Bonus: More and more schools are offering accounting programs online, making it easy to earn your accounting degree while you work.

Nursing Career Path

Start here: Licensed Practical Nurse
You can get started as a licensed practical nurse (also known as licensed vocational nurse) by enrolling in a state-approved nursing program. These programs are typically offered by community and junior colleges and should take about a year to complete. Once you complete the program, you’ll need to take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-PN) to get your license. When you’re done, you’ll be ready to help registered nurses and doctors care for patients on a daily basis in a wide variety of settings.

End up here: Registered Nurse
While you’re working as a LPN, you can study to become a registered nurse. There are three educational paths to choose from: earn a bachelor’s of science in nursing (BSN), an Associate’s degree in nursing, or a diploma from an accredited nursing program (usually offered by hospitals). Any of these programs will allow you to practice as a registered nurse after you graduate (and pass the NCLEX-RN examination). In addition, many schools offer an LPN to RN program to specifically aid this transition.

Estimated Earning Potential: In May 2008, licensed practical nurses took home a median annual wage of $39,030. Meanwhile, registered nurses were compensated an annual wage of $62,450 in the same month.

Added Bonus: The advancement opportunities for nurses are endless. For registered nurses who don’t have a BSN, there are plenty of programs that make earning your bachelor’s in nursing easy. Once you have your BSN, you can choose to pursue a Master’s in nursing, which will allow you to enter specialized fields and become an advanced practice nurse (APN). (APNs typically become nurse practitioners, certified nurse anesthetists, clinical nurse specialists, or certified nurse midwives.) If you want to go into teaching or research or a leadership, you can further your career by pursuing a doctorate in nursing. Plus, once you have your BSN, many graduate nursing programs are offered online, making it easy to continue your education. At the end of the day, a nursing career can go as far financially and professionally as you want to take it.

Oral Pathology and Microbiology is a science related to dentistry which deals with the causes, characteristics, effects as well as diagnosis of diseases hampering the maxillofacial and oral areas. It studies the immune system with treatments suggested for the same. This course aims to offer information related to the nature of oral ailments including causes and effects. Career in this field means going beyond the undergraduate level for better prospects.

Course Curriculum

A postgraduate programme in this stream spans over three years after which a dentist gains confidence in carrying out routine histopathological evaluations to examine specimens and go on with the general diagnostic procedures. The methodology includes taking up microbiological, cytological and other research projects as well as investigations. The curriculum has been designed in such a way that it not only enhances your academic but clinical proficiency as well. This allows the rational, intellectual and social abilities to develop in an aspirant while giving rise to such oral pathologists who excel in treating patients.

However, for a better future, it is very important to go for a degree in MDS Oral Pathology and Microbiology from an institute recognised by the Dental Council of India. Future professionals can also narrow down their area and choose to study the sub divisions like Oral Histology, Dental Anatomy, Oral Physiology and Oral Embryology. Though, it is necessary for the students to have a BDS degree prior to deciding upon the MDS Oral Pathology and Microbiology course. After pursuing it, you can become a dentist or a practitioner working in a private or government dental hospital.

Job Options and Opportunities

You can also apply to work as a lecturer for oral pathology and microbiology at different educational institutions. You can opt for various medical colleges, research institutes to work as a researcher. You may get employed at the defence ministry and be absorbed in the medical services of the navy, army or air force. Becoming an independent practitioner, going for a government job or private dental institutions are few other preferable options to look for. You can also explore the opportunities at polyclinics, hospitals, defence services and multi-specialty clinics or be a part of the healthcare department at companies.

The admission to this discipline takes place through entrance tests conducted at an all-India level or at the respective universities along with a personal level interview. On completion, you can settle down for jobs where you can work as a quality control officer, additional professor, technician, manager or lab technician in the microbiology department. Also, you may find employment as an oral pathologist, dental hygienist, professor, dental assistant, private practitioner and public health specialist.

Qualities of an Oral Pathologist

Apart from these, an aspirant needs to have certain qualities to work as a dentist or dental surgeon in this field. They must have the analytical skills to interpret and present information in the form of statistical data using the quantitative and qualitative techniques. They should be flexible, have problem-solving skills and must be able to convey messages to patients in an audience appropriate manner. They should be critical in nature and must be able to manage time and work accordingly. this is what it takes to have bright career prospects in this stream.

Being well informed is the cornerstone of being able to make a good decision. Before you travel abroad to visit a dentist, doctor or cosmetic surgeon you should satisfy yourself that you are 100% happy to be treated by this person at their facility. Here are ten questions that will help you become an informed patient.

What are your qualifications and specialisations? You should take the time to check that your dentist, doctor or surgeon is fully qualified and currently registered to practice in their local country. To do this, contact the local medical or dental council. If you are receiving specialist treatments, look for a further qualification in that area of specialisation. For further peace of mind, check if the person in question has been licensed to practice in your own local country.

With my medical history, am I suitable for this procedure? To minimise the risk of unnecessary complications, you should disclose any possible medical reasons that might make you unsuitable for treatment. That could be something as simple as being a smoker, which might disqualify you from receiving dental implants. Your prospective practitioner should be asking these questions anyway, but if they don’t you should volunteer the information and ask about the implications.

What are the normal treatment and recovery times recommended? One commonly voiced concern amongst local dentists and doctors when talking about patients seeking treatment abroad is that they compress too much treatment into too short a space of time. If you are getting complicated treatment done abroad, ask your overseas clinic what their recommended time between treatments is, what their recommended recovery times are, and if they differ significantly from what is suggested at home, ask them why that is.

What happens if something goes wrong? The biggest fear that people have when looking for treatment abroad is that something will go wrong, either while they are still abroad or, worse still, once they return home. You need to know before you travel what procedures the clinic has in place for dealing with everything from pulled stitches to post operative infections. In the worst case scenario, what will they do if the procedure fails completely? Do they offer guarantees, refunds, or free remedial treatment? If you have returned home before the problem arises, will they pay for you to return? Be satisfied that you can live with the answers they give.

What other options do I have? Often times you will have heard of a procedure from a magazine or a television programme that seems like it might be something you’d be interested in having done. Even if you are suitable for the procedure, ask about alternatives. There may be a newer procedure, or a less risky procedure or a cheaper procedure that you would be even more interested in, but if you don’t ask you may never be offered them.

How much is it going to cost? If you are travelling abroad without having received a pre-consultation at home, any prices you have been quoted are likely list prices for a given procedure. You need to ask if there are any extra costs that are likely to arise: x-rays, anaesthetic, prescriptions, etc. The last thing you want to have happen is to get to your clinic and find out that the treatment you thought was going to cost EUR3,000 is actually going to cost EUR5,000 when everything is included. It is not unreasonable if you do have a local pre-consultation to ask for a fixed price guarantee. You might also want to enquire about possible payment methods.

Where is the treatment going to take place? You will want to know in advance what type of facility you are going to be treated in. Is it a small clinic located in an office building, is it a larger purpose built clinic, or is it a hospital? There are implications involved in each case, but you will need to be satisfied that you are happy to be treated in whichever facility your prospective doctor, dentist or surgeon is located in.

What is your success rate?Some procedures, such as dental implants, have a failure rate that is measurable. You should ask how many times your practitioner has performed the specific treatment you are interested in, and what the long term success rate of his or her use of this treatment is.

Can I speak to some previous patients? One of the best ways you can get honest answers about treatment in a specific clinic is to talk to someone who has done it already. Ask the clinic to put you in touch with someone in your country who has had the same procedure performed. If they can’t or won’t, try and find someone yourself by searching online. People who are very happy or very unhappy often blog about the treatment they received.

What brand of implant do you use? In order to accurately compare the price at home to the price abroad you really need to compare like with like, and that means asking what brand name of implant, crown, or veneer that the dentist is going to use is. The same applies for any cosmetic implants or fillers, and similarly there are a wide range of laser eye treatments available under the umbrella terms LASEK or LASIK. Know exactly what it is that you are buying or you might end up unhappy with the results.

Most of us are quite familiar with the routine visit for a dental checkup. During such a visit, the dental expert or hygienist will generally cleanup our teeth, take a number of X-Rays and conduct an evaluation for any signs of gum changes, tooth decay or oral cancer. Occasionally, a comprehensive examination will be carried out.

A number of activities are rather standard for a checkup, but dentists have their own individual skills and styles. For example, your dentist will want to know if any changes have occurred in your general health since your last visit and update your medical records accordingly. The Dental Board of Australia has however, developed guidelines, codes and policies to offer guidance to this profession.

The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) works jointly with the National Boards towards the implementation of the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme (NRAS), being implemented under the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation National Law. Under the NRAS, the Australian Dental Council (ADC) is the mandated independent accreditation body authority for all dental professions in Australia. The Dental Board of Australia is guided by the ADC.

What to tell your Dentist

Your dental health expert needs to know everything that might assist him or her in diagnosing problems or in treating you correctly. As you go to meet your dental health expert at the clinic, bring along a list of any medicines you may be currently taking with their dosages. A number of medications are known to cause dry mouth cause which could increase your risk to cavities. The health expert may also want to confirm that any drug they may prescribe doesn’t interact adversely with drugs you’re taking already.

Talk candidly with your dentist about:

– Your general dental health: Prior to the dental examination, tell him or her if your teeth might have become more sensitive, if you suspect you’ve have got a new cavity or if you’re feeling lumps inside the mouth.

– All your fears: Lots of people have a phobia of medical personnel, particularly dentists which most probably goes back to their childhood days. Those procedures you feared most may longer exist or newer and better techniques of handling them may have come up. If you’ve still got fear for a particular dental technique, like drilling, let the health professional know! Many a time, just discussing about it takes off some of its edge.

– Your overall health: Inform the dental expert in case you’ve recently been diagnosed with any type of ailment or are on any new medications. Even sicknesses which would normally seem to be quite unrelated to your mouth might call for another approach to dental prevention or treatments.

Don’t quietly wait to see if the dental practitioner catches it or in the silent hope that he or she misses it altogether. By disclosing all your symptoms, you may be helping in making an early diagnosis. Some other health conditions could require the dentist to alter the kind of anesthesia used.

The highly respected Australian Dental Journal (ADJ) publishes clinical developments, peer-reviewed research articles, clinical treatments and opinions, as well as many other key dentistry issues and would provide you with a wealth of information. The ADJ is a leading globally recognized publication in its specific field and offers a forum for information exchange regarding significant and new research in dentistry throughout the world.